The greenest house of worship in the nation will open its reclaimed maple-wood doors this Sunday to members of the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation.
The synagogue, 303 Dodge Ave., was created from the rubble of their old building and reclaimed wood from upstate New York. Energy-saving lights and heaters turn off when people leave the room, and even the toilets are designed for maximum efficiency.
“Every detail had an eye toward sustainability,” said Vickie Korey, the synagogue’s information vice president.
The demolition of the old synagogue was also environment-friendly. Ninety-six percent of the old building was recycled, and 2,700 tons of its materials were reclaimed. The front doors were created from maple trees that were cut down to clear space for the new synagogue.
The building is designed to reach one of the highest levels in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council, a group that promotes environmentally-sound building.
No other religious center has been given this certification.
Strong religious convictions motivated the Jewish Reconstuctionist Congregation to create the synagogue, Korey said.
“There is a significant Jewish value that talks about how we are but stewards of the earth and it is our responsibility to take care of the earth … to pass it on to future generations,” Korey said. “We wanted to live by that value.”
The Jewish Reconstuctionist Congregation started in local homes in 1964 and moved to Chute Middle School and various churches in Evanston.
It finally found a home on Dodge Avenue in 1985.
By 2006, the building was in need of significant repair, and the congregation was growing. Attendance varies with each activity, but 150 to 200 people attend Saturday services, said Bryna Cytrynbaum, member of the High Holiday Committee.
“We didn’t have enough space,” she said. “Now we have one-and-a-half times the space.”
Staff at the Jewish Reconstuctionist Congregation campaigned for the new building for six years. The congregation donated much of the money, but also received grants from some environmental organizations and the government.
The total cost of the synagogue was $10 million, said Julie Dorfman, the lead liaison of the new synagogue. However, the new building will use 45 percent less energy than an average building and 40 percent less water.
“We think it will be paid back in seven to ten years as we save $25,000 a year,” Dorfman said. “We went for all the cost-effective utilities.”
The congregation hopes to start a trend in Evanston to help save the planet.
“I hope it will be a positive influence,” Dorfman said.
“We have had really wonderful feedback and I think it will be a wonderful, very positive presence.”
